Ever ask yourself “what would it actually be like to use hearing aids”? What would your best friend say if you asked honest questions about what it sounds like, what it feels like, and how they actually feel about wearing one? If you really want to know what hearing aids are like, you should come in for a demonstration, but for now, keep reading for an outline of what you can expect.

1. Hearing Aids Occasionally Have Feedback

This isn’t the kind of feedback that you get when someone tells you how they feel about your results. When a microphone and a speaker detect each other’s signal, they interfere with each other causing a high-pitched whistling sound. Even modern microphone and speaker systems can have a sound loop created.

We’ve all heard this kind of feedback just before somebody starts speaking into a microphone.

While this may sound terrible, and it is unpleasant, it is rare when a hearing aid is correctly tuned. You may need to re-fit or replace the earmolds if this keeps happening.

Feedback can be removed, in some more sophisticated hearing aids, by a built-in feedback suppression system.

2. You Can Hear Conversations in a Loud Restaurant

Eating dinner out with the family can seem like eating dinner alone if you have untreated hearing loss. It’s almost impossible to keep up with the conversations. Most of the evening, you might wind up just nodding and smiling.

But today’s hearing aids have the advanced noise blocking ability for background sound. They bring the voices of your children and the wait staff into crystal clarity.

3. It Gets a Bit Sticky at Times

Your body has a way of telling you when something shouldn’t be there. If you eat something too spicy hot, you secrete more saliva to wash it out. If you get something in your eye, you produce tears to flush your eye. Your ears also have a defense system of their own.

Earwax production.

So it’s no surprise that individuals who wear hearing aids frequently get to manage wax buildup. Luckily, it’s only wax and it’s not a big deal to clean the hearing aids. (We can help you learn how.)

Then you’ll just put that hearing aid back in and begin relishing your hearing again.

4. Your Brain Will Also Get The Benefit

You might be surprised by this one. When someone develops hearing loss, it very gradually starts to impact cognitive function if they don’t have it treated as soon as possible.

Fully understanding spoken language is one of the first things to go. Problem solving, learning new things, and memory will then become difficult.

Getting hearing aids as soon as possible helps stop this brain atrophy. They re-train your brain. Research shows that they can decrease cognitive decline and even reverse it. As a matter of fact, one study conducted by AARP showed that 80% of individuals had improved cognitive function after treating their hearing loss.

5. The Batteries Have to be Replaced

Many people simply hate dealing with those tiny button batteries. And these batteries seem to choose the worst time to lose power, like when you’re expecting a call from your doctor.

But straight forward solutions exist to decrease much of this perceived battery trouble. There are strategies you can use to substantially extend battery life. It’s not hard to bring an extra set because these batteries are inexpensive and small.

Or, you can purchase a set of rechargeable hearing aids which are available now. At night, just put them on the charger. In the morning, simply put them back on. You can even get some hearing aids with solar-powered chargers so you can charge them even if you are hiking or camping.

6. You Will Have a Learning Curve

The technology of modern-day hearing aids is rather advanced. It’s a lot easier than learning to use a computer for the first time. But adjusting to your new hearing aids will certainly take some time.

The longer and more regularly you wear hearing aids the better it gets. Try to be patient with yourself and the hearing aids throughout this transition.

Anyone who’s been using a pair of hearing aids for six months or more will tell you that it’s worth it.

This is what it’s really like to use hearing aids. If you want to figure it out, contact us.

Call Today to Set Up an Appointment

References

https://www.aarp.org/health/brain-health/info-07-2013/hearing-loss-linked-to-dementia.html